5 Top Tips for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

You don’t have to be a mountain goat to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. With the right planning and a bit of training, the summit of the world’s tallest free standing mountain is entirely accessible to anyone. Here are some top tips from Aardvark Safaris:

Go with a reputable company

Summits Africa tent on Kilimanjaro

There are dozens of operators who claim they’ll get you to the top of Kilimanjaro. But choose wisely – there’s a big difference in what they all offer in routes, equipment, ethics and safety.

Make sure that care of both climbers and the climb crew is taken seriously, ask what sort of tents are used and what equipment is provided. Try and find out how experienced the guides are; your safety depends on them.

Take your time

Enjoy the scenery, there are some spectacular views on the way up

This isn’t just about the speed you walk, but the route you take too. There are several routes up the mountain. The longer your route, the better you will acclimatise, increasing your chances of reaching the summit.

While you’re on Kilimanjaro try to walk slowly too – stop and enjoy the views as often as you want. Listen to your guide – they’ll know the right pace.

Eat and drink lots

Eat plenty at every meal and drink more than you think you need. Take snacks with you to keep energy levels up – dried fruit and energy bars are ideal. Ask what is provided for you and decide if you want to take your own favourites.

It can be quite dusty while you walk, so take some sweets to suck on to help clear your throat.

Get fit – physically and mentally

Kilimanjaro climbers nearing the summit

It’s wise to do some training before you go – particularly in the walking boots you plan to wear. But as much as anything, getting to the top is about mental strength too. Get out and walk (slowly) for a number of hours on a few occasions to get used to being on your feet for some time.

Choose your camera wisely

Kilimanjaro summit view – Ake Lindstrom Summits Africa

Take a camera that fits in your pocket or an outside pocket of your day pack. On the last two days it is much colder at altitude so try and get a camera that fits inside your internal jacket pocket or include hand warmers to keep your camera kit warm. The scenery climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is fabulous and there will be lots of photo opportunities. The last thing you’ll want to do is rifle through your pack each time you want to take a picture.

Aardvark Safaris’ senior sales consultant, Francis Naumann, has climbed Kilimanjaro twice. Here are his thoughts after his last successful Kilimanjaro ascent completed in his fifties.

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro – what next?

We would be delighted to help you plan a your Mount Kilimanjaro trek, or answer any questions. Whether you are planning a group climb, a charity climb or a solo climb we can help. Our team can also offer expert advice on every type of safari from family and beach holidays to riding and primate safaris. If you would like to talk to someone who has summited Kilimanjaro, please just send us an email or give us a call.

More about the Author

Alice Gully, one of the owners of Aardvark Safaris, has been involved in African travel since 1995. Her interest in all things African started with a zoology degree at Newcastle where her entomology tutor inspired with stories of exotic creatures that could only be found in Africa.

Alice Gully, one of the owners of Aardvark Safaris, has been involved in African travel since 1995. Her interest in all things African started with a zoology degree at Newcastle where her entomology tutor inspired with stories of exotic creatures that could only be found in Africa. When a second degree in vet science did not go according to plan, she fulfilled a dream by working in Zambia. First she helped set up a safari camp on Lake Kariba and undertook a small study on a family of seven elephants that shared her island. Next was a stint skippering catamarans on the Zimbabwean side of the lake where sailing along the wildlife filled shores of Matusadona National Park still inspires wonderful memories. Her last job was living the dream as a back-up guide for a riding safari in Hwange, Zimbabwe, which she describes as one of those few jobs where you forget it's work, and where managing 28 horses and showing guests the wonders of Africa from horse back was pure joy. She decided on her future career as an African tour operator before her return and now says that anything is possible in Africa if you know how.

Now married, and mother to three daughters, Alice runs the Scottish office. Riding is still a big passion she competes and hunts when time allows. Alice and husband Jim are keen hill walkers and love the outdoors, and on their African travels they are happiest on foot, in a canoe, or on horseback. She is also an experienced diver and counts the peaceful reefs of Mozambique as some of the best in the world. Her triplets got a taste of Africa at the age of two on a camel safari in Kenya with some time at the coast – never too young!

In her many years organising holidays, Alice has travelled extensively through Africa, exploring some of the more off the beaten track safari areas as well as the better known. Kenya remains an old favourite and she has returned six times, unable to resist the draw of all that’s on offer here. Post children she’s also come to appreciate the value of R&R holidays in beach destinations like Mauritius and the Seychelles. Of the countries Aardvark Safaris sells, it’s only Madagascar and Malawi that Alice has yet to explore, but it’s only a matter of time.

Favourite African experience
Too many to pick one, each time I travel something takes my breath away, the people, the endless scenery, the incredible wildlife. For pure wow factor, riding horses through the migration in the Masai Mara or flying in a private plane along the Skeleton Coast of Namibia.

Favourite animal
Other than giraffe (which I’d most like to come back as) it’s the little stuff like the insects and birds that enthral me. If you sit still in Africa, life is busy all around you, no matter where you are. Under the sea, in the ground or high in the trees, there is never a dull moment.

Favourite three camps
I love the small owner run camps where you feel as though you are staying with a friend. The host is your guide and looks after you in every way, they care how you feel and what you do, some of these camps (and owners) include PJ and Barney at Okavango Horse Safaris in Botswana, Kerry Glen at Karisia in Kenya, Ant and Tessa Baber at Ant's Nest in South Africa, but there is a long list, not just three! Luwi Camp in the South Luangwa, Zambia is my desert island camp if there was only one last African trip.

On arranging holidays
I pride myself on the fact that no two holidays I plan are the same. I enjoy really listening to what people want, before going to the drawing board to sketch out ideas. I believe in top end customer service, so no wedding anniversary goes unnoticed or dietary requirement is missed, and I will spend hours thinking about what could improve everybody’s experience - I want everyone to come home with the same warm fuzzy feeling about Africa that I have. As an experienced rider, I know what makes the difference between a good riding safari and an unforgettable one and will do my best to match riders to the most suitable horses and will always try to look after the non-riding spouse (I have one) as well as learner riders (like my three girls). As a mother I know the pitfalls of travelling with children and will do my utmost to choose the best camps and lodges to create a perfect family holiday – I’m proud to say my repeat and word of mouth business speaks for itself.

Many intrepid adventurers climb Kilimanjaro, adrenaline seekers see Kenya’s wildlife on horseback and most of our clients have tracking the world’s last mountain gorillas on their wishlists, but it’s a [...]